Mai Kashiwagi  Another Tale
by KristenCaren
Summary: This is the story of what would happen if Mai Kashiwagi, the main character of episodes 3-4, were to survive the events at the Saturn ring.
1. Isao I, Prologue

**Chapter 01 - Isao I, Prologue  
**

The sirens rang overhead. The contractors were beginning to attack the gate. We could not let South America happen again. There was simply too much at stake.

Before I knew what was happening, I was in my supervisor's office, sitting in a chair. "Isao," he said, trying to hide the stress of the situation on his face, "I'd like to introduce you to Mai." Seated next to me was a girl who looked like she could be in high school. She was wearing a white jumpsuit with some red patterns across the shoulder.

The man handed Mai a piece of paper. "Mai, show Isao your ability." She looked at the man as if she were to ask why, but before she could he interrupted "so he can assist you better on this mission." As if out of a dream, a blue radiance surrounded her, and her eyes shone with a bright light.

"Contr—" was the most I could get out before the paper ignited into flames. The girl name Mai held it aloft until there was nothing left to hold and the remains dropped to the ground.

My supervisor nodded. "The two of you are to report to the Saturn ring to ensure that everything goes as planned. Mai, you are to stand guard on the platform and destroy anything which threatens the ring. Isao, you are to guard the entrance to ensure that Mai can do her job as planned."

I fingered for the gun at my belt and nodded. This was probably the first important task I've had since taking this job here. Upon hiring from PANDORA, I was nothing more than a janitor. But through some inner connections and promotions, I could move through the ranks to become a basic security officer. But if I could succeed in a job of this magnitude, I would be sure to get a promotion. Perhaps I could control an entire squadron?

"I'll leave it to you," confirmed my commanding officer. I nodded, and left the room with Mai.

As we walked down the hall, I heard a small sound to my left, almost as if somebody was singing. Sure enough, there was Mai, humming a tune as we walked forward to a job that could save or destroy our lives. "Why are you—" I began, before I remembered. Each contractor has a unique remuneration. As she had used her abilities to burn that paper, she had no choice but to repay her debt on this walk.

"A real shame," I said allowed as we turned the corner. "I meet a fine young girl such as yourself and as soon as this mission is over I'll probably never hear from you again. Isn't it cruel?"

Mai finished her tune and turned to me with cold eyes. "Why?" she asked.

"It's nothing," I said, and kept walking. From that point on I swore to not ask a compassionate question. Contractors have no emotions. If something makes no sense to them from a rational perspective, they see no reason to do it.

"Well, here you go," I said, pointing to the archway. I'll keep a lookout here, so you go and make sure that our only hope is protected. Mai said nothing and walked onto the platform. I leaned back against the wall and sighed. Protect this girl? Is the supervisor nuts? She should be the one protecting me! There's no way I could stand again a girl who could easily set me on fire.

The minutes ticked by. My watch read 3:12 PM. Screams echoed outside as the contractors fought against the armed units. I should be out there fighting with them. I am a security officer after all. But I suppose this was more important. Another 3 minutes. More screams.

But then I realized that the screams were coming from the Saturn system. I looked inside and there was Mai, staring down at the ground, where two intruders were burning to their deaths.

My watch read 3:12 PM. Screams echoed outside as the contractors fought against the armed units. I should be out there fighting with them. I am a security officer after all. But I suppose this was more important. Another 3 minutes.

Suddenly, I heard large rattle inside the Saturn system. Upon looking in, there was Mai sprawled on the floor, as if an invisible force had just pushed her aside. Blood drops were scattered, and her leg seemed to be twisted in an impossible position. I got ready to run in her aid, but she saw me. He eyes glowed red and suddenly, my tie caught fire.

Left with no choice I beat out the fire with my suit coat and went back to rescue her. But as I did, there was a very large explosion. Warning went off everywhere, and I heard some people yelling about the Saturn system being damaged. Then I heard the screams. Blood curdling screams as if people were burning inside. And as I expect, Mai was glowing a blue color. I dashed in and caught a glimpse of a naked woman disappearing, and a man continuing to burn.

The Saturn system continued to collapse as I came upon Mai. However, she had lost consciousness with the final burning. "Ah, geez!" I yelled, as I put her arm around my shoulder and grabbed her waste. "We're getting out of here!" I yelled, as we dashed through the door.

If only I knew that door was a door to my new life, I may have said something differently.


	2. Mai I, Prologue

**Chapter 02 - Mai I, Prologue  
**

Panic. All around panic. But why? Why did people care about their worthless lives so much? Why were the contractors trying to recreate South America? None of it made sense to me.

As I walked onto the platform I left that strange guy behind. Why I would need someone to protect me is ridiculous. If somebody were to attack me from behind it would most likely be a contractor. His pistol wouldn't serve much of a purpose then.

On the other hand, the Syndicate really doesn't have much of a choice. Amber had already infiltrated deep within our ranks and defected many of our contractors to serve her own twisted purposes. The few we had left were myself, Chizu, and Ayame. Well, by codenames, Caoluse, Tian, and Mise. But considering that all three of us would die today, I see no reason to continue using those idiotic names.

There they were. A man and a woman walked into the room, clad in nothing but a jacket. All their concentration was on the Saturn system. Good, they hadn't noticed me. Just like so many times in the past, the flames sprung forth. They had no chance of escape and finally saw me. The screams echoed forth, and the Saturn system was preserved. Mission accomplished.

There they were. A man and a woman walked into the room, clad in nothing but a jacket. The man reached into his pocket, and pulled out what looked to be an egg. "Amber, huh?" said the man. Amber? Wasn't she the one causing all of this—

Then I remembered. Amber was the one who could reverse time at her own will. I thought about running, but it was too late. As if slapped with an invisible hand I was pushed back, hitting the railing. I rolled over. If only I could get a view of them I could stop their idiotic efforts.

I heard an explosion. Mission failed. The Saturn system was destroyed, and with it, the hopes of all Japan. It's not like it matters. I was going to die in the Tokyo Explosion or the destruction of Hell's Gate. I only accepted this stupid mission so I could be killed as an individual instead of as a collection.

There! My view! I saw the two of them relaxing. This was my chance. The flames sprung forth, and the two of them started screaming. The last I saw was the nude woman disappear into thin air.

Is this death? It's so dark. There's no hope here. There's no regained emotions. I suppose even in death, a contractor is a contractor, unable to go to either heaven or hell.

"Mai!" came a voice from a distance. Papa? No, it couldn't have been. Papa was stabbed to death by the cursed contractor. Papa wasn't a contractor, was he? He couldn't have gone to the place contractors go to when they die.

"Mai, wake up!" came the same voice. That's right, I have eyes. I can open them if I want to. But what would be there for me beyond that gate? "Come on Mai, don't die on me!"

Die? I wasn't dead already? Something welled up within me. Something that made me want to open up my eyes. But why? If I'm not dead, then I should just keep my eyes closed. Maybe I'd be taken outside of this laboratory and be able to live my own life. People hire hit men for quite a reasonable price, after all.

Against all rationale, I opened up my eyes. Blurry images scattered about. But with my sight came back my other sense. A severe pain gripped at my leg. The smell of smoke wafted through to me. Air flew into me. And my body felt like it was melting.

I began to hum. It wasn't any song in particular, just a collection of notes and melodies. Music was lost to me when I became a contractor. If I had no emotions to pour out into the music, I couldn't make anything sound beautiful.

The images began to piece themselves together. "Thank goodness Mai! I thought I lost you!" said my Papa. No, this man wasn't my Papa. It was that man from before. Isao was it?

"The Saturn system!" I shouted, springing up. Suddenly, pain spread down my back, and I fell back down to the bed, panting.

"That system was a fake," said Isao. "We were deceived in order to protect the real system. But in the end, BK201 did not create the Tokyo Explosion."

"Why?" I asked. "He had every reason to do so, and no reason not. Quite irrational of a contractor."

"They never were intending to recreate South America. They only intended to avert the Saturn system." Pictures became clearer. The sun shone above. But how? This was indoors. There wasn't supposed to be sunlight.

That's when I noticed the rubble around us. The entire PANDORA laboratory had been crushed. "As you can see, BK201 attacked the Saturn system instead, and with it, there was a major collapse. The chief is dead. The Syndicate is in chaos. We're lucky to be alive in this room."

I got up, this time more slowly. "Wait, you can't—" but it was too late. I tried to stand up, and pain shot through my leg. It was fractured. "You're lucky you just came out of that whole ordeal with a fracture. I'll take you to a doctor as soon as recue comes."

I stared at that man blankly. Rescue? Rescue wouldn't come. We were almost inside the gate. Nobody was going to risk their lives to rescue a contractor and a security officer. We'd need to find out own way out.


	3. Mai II, Escape

**Chapter 03 – Mai II, Escape**

"Here, have another sip," said Isao as he knelt by my bedside, handing me a juice. For three days now I had stayed in this room, devoid of help. From what I could see, most of PANDORA had been destroyed in the ensuing explosions and collapse. Unfortunate for us, that included the steps down to the lower level.

"How much longer do we have to wait here?" I demanded. If I had to live, I wanted to be free to do what I wished to do instead of staying in this bed. I sipped at the juice. "And where is this juice even coming from?"

Isao hung his head. "Didn't I tell you? We have access to the break room. Though those supplies are running sort of short…"

"How much longer do we have?" I asked. Isao only lifted one finger. I shook my head, and looked over the edge of the destruction.

"If you're thinking about jumping again, forget it." he said. "You're going to do nothing but break your good leg and die on the floor down there." Why did this idiot care about me? He could've probably saved himself a couple of times over by now. Apparently the jump at the broken part of the stairs was only a few feet.

Isao gazed past me, affixed at a point in space a few meters ahead. I guess it was to be expected. A frail mind can only last a few days next to Hell's Gate. He was probably seeing ghosts and illusions. I had to get out of here before he turned on me.

I looked around the room. And then I found what I was looking for. Almost instantaneously, a pile of papers across the room caught on fire. Isao jumped at the sight and ran to the fires, trying to put them out. I used the chance and sprung out of bed. Suddenly, pain shot up my leg as soon as I put pressure on it. But this was to be expected. A little bit of pain was nothing compared to freedom.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Isao as I made my way to the door. I looked back at him. I watched as his hand caught fire, and he looked down in disbelief. I watched as flames engulfed the man standing between me and my freedom. This was the rationale thing to do. Kill your captor and make a run for it.

But instead, I shook my head. "I'm leaving on my own. Do not try to stop me." I turned away from Isao. What is wrong with me? I'm a contractor. He shouldn't have been allowed to live. Even from a humane standpoint, killing him here would've been a lot less gruesome than starving to death.

That man shouted "Stop!" I heard the clicking of a gun. Honestly, you think that a gun would have any effect on me? He should've felt grateful. He managed to survive the attack of a contractor.

I turned back around, hands in the air, eyes closed. When I opened them, that would probably be the last thing he ever saw.

"Mai!" shouted a voice. I heard a thud and a moan, followed by the sounds of footsteps. An intruder? Who would intrude here? The Syndicate? No, it was probably a looter. I felt a hand grab my pendant.

I opened my eyes ready to burn what was in front of me. And there was a familiar face. I stopped just before the flames sprung forth. "Ayame?" I asked. Ayame gave a big toothed smile. "Why?"

Ayame looked over at Isao. "It would seem like you were in quite a pinch. But besides, I'm not strong enough to make money on my own."

"Money? Doesn't the Syndicate provide you with enough of that?" Granted, while the Syndicate did try to exploit us in any way possible, they did pay us handsomely for our actions.

"I guess you didn't hear. Word got out about contractors and the syndicate. The Syndicate wasn't trying to prevent the Tokyo explosion by destroying Hell's Gate. They were trying to destroy Hell's gate for the sole purpose of killing us." That much was quite obvious. "The Syndicate is in a state of chaos. All of their contractors have abandoned the Syndicate and are now looking for new jobs."

"I see." If contractors were not being hired by the Syndicate any more, then they were probably being hired as hit men. Even if a contractor doesn't need comfort, we still do need money for food and other necessities.

"Well, I guess we've got to go," said Ayame. Her eyes turned red as she grabbed onto me, and a flash of light surrounded us both.

When the light subsided, we were in a six tatami mat room. "I'll be right back," said Ayame. "There's food in the refrigerator if you get hungry." Another poof of light and she was gone.

Something didn't feel right. I stood up off the floor and looked around. I was really lucky that Ayame came to save me instead of someone else. Her ability allowed here to disassemble and reassemble the atoms of anything in existence. As such, she could effectively teleport anybody from one location to another.

I walked to the refrigerator, thinking maybe food was the issue. Each step felt better than the last. After all, she specialized in reassembling atoms. A fracture like what I had was an easy fix for her in the end.

Then I remembered, and started humming. A sudden flash of light appeared, and there was Ayame. And in her arms was the exact man who had been holding me hostage.


End file.
